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Consumer health insurance expert Carrie McLean on how to ensure you are choosing the best health-care benefits for your family.
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On the same topic open enrollment -- here but do you know all the ins and outs of your benefits what you don't know made it costs GO.
The majority of Americans -- up to 750 dollars a year on mistakes they could.
Easily avoid money that could pay for months and grocery electric bills over to -- -- gallons of guests joining me now with tips for the enrollment season.
Carrie McLean a consumer health insurance expert for.
It's great to have you here.
Now I I know a lot of Americans out there probably not prepared for this year's open enrollment and I think it's gonna be a lot more complicated.
How serious is this problem of people not knowing the difference between this year and last.
It happens every year -- and we're showing it gets worse.
As the years go on.
People just our -- confused about health insurance and we may get their opening moment package they just don't know how to compare the different options at their employer gives them.
So they just go in blindly and keep the same -- -- year over year well guilty as charged I've done that myself.
And you know why don't care if it's not easy compared plants -- -- is tonight I mean it's really confusing there's a lot of material.
It's all written in gobbledygook.
What's the best solution.
He -- it really setting to.
I'm taking time to read you that information.
And see if you're HR department.
Has options or meetings that you can attend to educate yourself.
The other thing that's changing this year on September 23 health insurance companies are gonna be required to.
At give you a summary of benefits and that document is -- standardized.
Across the insurance companies.
And -- help people compare the different benefit options that may be available well that's great I'm glad to hear that that makes a lot of cents.
What will be different this year because of Obama care anything.
Well that the one thing I just mentioned about the summary of benefits and that was an Affordable Care Act.
That will be enabled 123 of September.
And at and that you know there's not a whole lot changing this year and that group's side one thing -- added the flexible spending account is going from.
5000.
To 2500.
-- if you're used to signing up for that flexible spending account.
Make sure that you realize -- that's changing and looking at what you did spend because a lot of people they pick the wrong amount.
And once that money is gone at the end of the year it just does not rollover right you lose that money it's frightening yes some tips that you say pay attention to payments what do you mean by that.
Well in recent surveys that we've -- we found that half of people don't even know how much is coming out of their paycheck.
And so it's important to realize and see how much -- paying.
For your health care costs as well us what your employer is paying because.
Really need to band can get a sense of what is the total cost of your health care coverage review all your options obviously want to know everything that's on the table and it may be easier this year.
-- a shop smarter how.
-- smarter by making sure that you're choosing a plan that makes sense for you in your family.
Maybe -- needs have changed during a new health condition has come up.
Or there might be changes in the coverage where the network that used to have available is no longer available.
Pay attention to that because if you really enjoy seeing your specific doctor and they're no longer in your -- work.
-- you're gonna want to do realize that and you only have this one time a year to make that change.
So it does its you're either way it's time to find out for her shirt yeah I -- -- let's get some kind of special circumstance.
Options for adult children obviously one of the it impacts of Obama care you keep adult children on your plan for a longer -- let's talk about that.
So you definitely want to take a look at that because.
If your employer is changing -- now that they're gonna contribute for your adult children.
Because although it's required that they allow them to stay on -- it's not require that they pay for those.
Or contribute towards those benefits -- you only be -- paying a lot more to keep your dot child on that plan.
And -- adult child may not even live in the same -- -- you how much harm him on -- would be typical -- how much more might pay.
I'm you might be end up paying the whole premium so -- could be.
A 10200 dollars more tap your child on your plan.
Typically young adults are young and healthy and can find an affordable plan on individual -- And that may make more sense if they don't even live in your area and can't ease the doctors and hospitals that are on your plan -- thanks for coming on tonight great stuff really appreciate your help.
Thank you for having me.
